#DEFINE FRAGMENTATION
Ho conosciuto di recente il lavoro e le opere dell’artista DutyGorn, in un momento in cui stavo facendo un’attenta indagine sul tema della decostruzione e della prospettiva nelle creazioni del designer belga Martin Margiela. E mi è parso di riscontrare non poche similitudini, seppur in contesti così differenti, tra i due artisti. L’arte di DutyGorn di primo acchito mi ha attratto per la sua indiscutibile resa estetica. DutyGorn ama dipingere su tela elegantissimi volti di donna, fatti di colore e linee armoniche. Donne di una bellezza seducente. Ma il suo talento si rivela in tutta la sua potenza quando taglia la tela e scompone per poi ricomporre i visi frammentati, seguendo le linee dei frammenti stessi lasciati sulla tela. Ne risultano opere bellissime in cui la decostruzione produce inspiegabilmente profondità, quasi una sorta di volume. Scomponendo e destrutturando i volti è come se l’artista cercasse un ordine nuovo nelle cose, una nuova prospettiva. Ed è come se, per mezzo del suo talento, lo trovasse dando vita a donne dallo sguardo incantevole, dolce e sensuale al contempo.
One day, while I was conducting a research into perspective and deconstruction with relation to the Belgian designer Martin Margiela’s creations I came across DutyGorn’s works. Despite the differences with regard to the artistic contexts in which these artists express theirself, I ascertained a lot of similarities between them. At first, DutyGorn’s art appealed to me for its unquestionable aesthetic effectiveness and potency. DutyGorn adores painting on canvas colourful faces of women with graceful, elegant and fine features. He is elated at painting women that are both desirable and seductive. Nevertheless, his talent is most visible when he cuts the canvas and as a consequence takes the faces he paints apart and then puts them back together. He does this by following the lines that the broken pieces leave on the canvas itself . The outcome are masterpieces in which the deconstruction inexplicably creates depth and in a sense, volume too. This artistic technique of taking apart and in so doing deconstructing faces, could be interpreted as a way of seeing things from a different perspective and as a consequence as a means of rearranging as much as reordering them. DutyGorn thanks to his talent and therefore through his paintings gives birth to women with dazzling, sweet and sensual eyes and with an alluring and intense gaze at the same time. In so doing he expresses all the above-mentioned about perspective.
DutyGorn triptych “The appearance of natural forms is changed while the reality remains constant.” – acrylic tempera and marker – canvas 150 x 100 cm -2013
DutyGorn “Stroke//2″ – acrylic, tempera and marker – canvas 130×100 cm – 2014
A una più attenta analisi quello che mi ha profondamente colpito del suo lavoro è stato proprio lo sforzo di scomposizione che emerge inequivocabile nei suoi polittici. Dove non è soltanto l’opera a essere scomposta ma è lo stesso oggetto che accoglie l’opera, il quadro intendo, a subire questo identico processo di scomposizione. Altro elemento che ha esercitato grande fascino su di me è stato l’uso preponderante e vibrante del colore che risalta nelle tele di DutyGorn e che ha indotto molti critici ad accostare le sue opere a quelle del maestro della Pop Art Andy Warhol. Pur essendo innegabile il fatto che DutyGorn recuperi e reinterpreti la tradizione delle avanguardie del ‘900, mi veniva da pensare, mentre il mio sguardo si perdeva nelle sue donne, che si trattasse di un’ammirevole commistione di classico e moderno. DutyGorn prende quanto di più classico esiste al mondo, un viso di donna, ed è come se lo mettesse in una visione stimolante della realtà, mescolando sapientemente il classico con la sperimentazione.
While I was conducting a thorough analysis of his works, I was struck by how much he longs to take apart and deconstruct in art, and by how these concepts unmistakably emerge in his works. DutyGorn takes apart and deconstructs his works not only conceptually but also physically. Furthermore, I was extremely fascinated by the vibrant colours which he uses in abundance and therefore stand out on his canvases. This led art critics to put DutyGorn’s works on a par with those of Andy Warhol who is considered to be the blueprint as much as one of the most significant figures in Pop Art. Although it is undeniable that DutyGorn reinvigorates and reinterprets the principles of the 20th century avant-garde movement, while I was totally engrossed in his works I thought to myself “in his paintings the modern marvellously intermingles with the classic”. DutyGorn takes what is ordinary and conventional, like a woman face, and through his paintings he makes it extraordinary and unconventional. In this way on the one hand he gives reality a new dimension and on the other hand he merges skilfully what is classic with what is experimental and avant-garde.
DutyGorn “Dutyabstract” canvas 450×155 cm – acrylic, tempera and marker – 2014
Ricapitolando: bellezza, seduzione, colore, frammentazione, scomposizione, nuove prospettive…Insomma, c’erano tutti gli elementi a me cari e un grande desiderio di conoscere questo giovane artista per capire chi si nascondesse dietro una così interessante ricerca stilistica. Quando ho incontrato Guido (il suo vero nome) ho scoperto un giovane uomo che, pur consapevole del proprio talento e delle proprie potenzialità, non ama farne inutile esibizione. Ho scoperto una persona schiva e quasi riservata. E questa cosa a dire il vero mi ha molto stupito perché DutyGorn è un artista che in poco più di dieci anni è riuscito ad affermarsi anche in ambito internazionale, facendo delle esposizioni davvero importanti. Quando mi sono fatta raccontare gli inizi e le tappe salienti della sua carriera ho appreso che quasi per caso nel 2003, con l’aiuto di alcuni amici, fa la prima esposizione in Via Padova a Milano e successivamente una personale mostra al Plastic, storico locale milanese meta di artisti e personaggi di fama internazionale. Questo evento gli conferisce una grande visibilità tanto che dal 2005 al 2011 rimane attivo con la sua “solo exhibition” presso lo Spazio Pontaccio, la cosiddetta boutique del design, che rappresenta per la città di Milano il punto di riferimento in tema di ricerca e propensione verso tutto ciò che è artisticamente nuovo, contemporaneo, in evoluzione. In quegli stessi anni DutyGorn espone i suoi lavori in molteplici gallerie milanesi, viaggia tra Zurigo, Vienna, Barcellona, vince il premio Campari e inizia una serie di collaborazioni con alcuni top brand tra cui Montblanc e Puma Collection. Collabora con il Salone del Mobile e perfino la celeberrima rivista di moda Vogue Uomo Italia gli commissiona un ritratto del leader dei R.E.M. Michael Stipe a corredo di un’intervista che il magazine pubblica.
To recapitulate, DutyGorn’s works display seduction, colour, fragmentation, deconstruction and new perspectives. This is why I was champing at the bit to know this young artist and hence the person behind such a prepossessing and mesmerizing style. When I first met Guido (this is his real name), I realised that even if that young artist was aware of his talent as well as of his enormous potential he did not want to parade them at all. Analogously, while we got to know each other I became aware that he is bashful, modest and reserved. I was utterly gobsmacked, since DutyGorn took part in renowned art exhibitions, got in the limelight and established himself internationally as an artist in just over a decade. When I asked him to tell me about the early stage as well as the salient features of his career I comprehended that in 2003 by chance and thanks to the help from some friends, he took part in his first art exhibition in Milan. Subsequently he got a solo one at the Plastic, a historic place in Milan that is also the favourite hangout of artists and world famous personalities. This event gave him high visibility inasmuch as from 2005 to 2011, he got a solo exhibition at Spazio Pontaccio known as the boutique of design. This place in Milan is considered a landmark with regard to anything which artistically speaking is innovative, evolutionary, contemporary and last, but by no means least, avant-garde. During those years DutyGorn frequently exhibited in various galleries of Milan and travelled to Zurich, Vien and Bracalona, won the Campari award and started working in close collaboration with some top brands such as Montblanc e Puma Collection. Moreover he collaborated with the International Furnishing Accessories Exhibition in Milan and the celebrated fashion magazine Vogue Men’s Italy that commissioned him to paint a portrait of the R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe which will be published together with an interview with the band leader.
DutyGorn “Eyes in which every time I look, I will find a soul behind”
polyptych canvas 80×100 cm – acrylic, tempera and marker – 2013
Il 2010 registra un evento fondamentale per la carriera di DutyGorn. In quell’anno infatti vola a New York per partecipare alla Biennale di Arte con la propria performance dal titolo “What’s left?”. Si tratta della sua consacrazione di artista a livello internazionale. “Programmi per il futuro?” gli chiedo. “Vivere della mia arte” mi risponde. E io glielo auguro davvero perché oltre al talentuoso artista, di cui ho ammirato le opere, ho avuto modo di intravedere l’uomo, di cui ho ammirato la personalità.
2010 was a real milestone in DutyGorn’s career. In fact, it was then when DutyGorn jetted off to New York to take part in the Art Biennal festival where he performed his own work entitled What’s left?. That did him credit so that DutyGorn rose to fame as an international artist. “Do you have any future plans?” I ask him. “Live off my art” he replied. I truly wish him every success in the future because DutyGorn is not just a talented and gifted artist, he is also a chap who has a warm as much as strong personality. That is why I extol him and his works.
DutyGorn – “RQ2” – acrylic and marker on canvas 30×40 cm – 2014
DutyGorn – “Experiments” – Polyptych – acrylic on aluminium 100×100 cm – 2014
I would like to offer my special thanks to DutyGorn who kindly gave the interview to me – www.dutygorn.com
Translation by Chris Alborghetti
